Rugby World Cup 2019: Five things you need to know about the final
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Owen Farrell led his team to victory in the semi-final against New Zealand - can he do the same on Saturday?
England are playing South Africa in the Rugby World Cup Final.
Loads of fans have got up be up bright and early to watch the match - kick off is at 9:00am.
But who are the big-name players? Where is it taking place? And what are England's chances of winning?
Well - here are five things you need to know about the Rugby World Cup Final!
Who's in it?
England and South Africa are training for Saturday's game
England will be playing South Africa, who are also known as the Springboks.
If England are successful, it'll be their second World Cup win.
But if the Springboks take it, it'll be their third ever win.
Who are the captains?
The captains of the teams are preparing for a big game
Owen Farrell (England) and Siya Kolisi (South Africa) are the captains of the World Cup Final teams.
They're both made from tough stuff!
Former England player Martin Johnson said: "Owen is out of a proper hard-core, winning rugby mentality."
Owen's dad Andy was a legendary player - he played rugby league for Wigan, England and Great Britain, and then Saracens and England again at the 2007 World Cup.
According to former Springbok player Hanyani Shimange, South Africa captain Siya Kolisi "loves rugby, and the team loves him".
Kolisi is also a huge figure in South Africa. The country went through a long period of division between black and white people called apartheid. Although that time has ended, historically rugby was been a game dominated by white people, and Siya Kolisi is the first black captain of his country.
Siya's mother died when he was 15 and he grew up with very little - his bed was a pile of cushions on the living-room floor. Rugby was on dirt fields. When he went to his first matches he played in boxer shorts, because he had no other kit.
But his rugby talent got him a scholarship and he grabbed his opportunities and has a lot of support back home.
Where is it taking place?
The game will be held here on Saturday
The game will be played at this spectacular stadium.
It's the International Yokohama Stadium in Japan, and you can even see Mount Fuji in the distance!
It was in this stadium that Japan had their famous win over Scotland earlier in the competition.
Who are the coaches?
Eddie Jones and Rassie Erasmus are the head coaches for the teams
England coach Eddie Jones and South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus are hoping their teams will come out on top this weekend.
Jones admitted the team will be "tested" on Saturday and called South Africa "the other most powerful team in the world".
Rassie Erasmus will step down as coach after the final and said it's been "wonderful" to be in Japan.
When asked how he thinks his team will do on Saturday he said: "We may not be the favourites, but the players will leave nothing in the tank."
Who's going to win?
England and South Africa are training for Saturday's game
Come on... we don't know the answer to that one! But here are some stats...
The two teams have met before in a World Cup Final.
That was in 2007 in France, and South Africa won 6-15.
But England have won three of their last five matches against South Africa.
South Africa have won the Rugby World Cup twice (1995 and 2007) and come third twice (1999 and 2015)
England have won it once (2003) and come runners-up twice (1991 and 2007)
Either way experts are expecting an exciting game!
Have you got good luck a message for the team? Make sure you send it to us!
- Published1 November 2019
- Published31 October 2019
